Thoughts
16/01/07 21:31 Filed in: Personal
I had an
opportunity to actually sit and listen to someone and
have no pressure to listen for acts, issues, etc. - a
refreshing change from the usual work and work-style
life that I seem to live. It is amazing how malleable
we can be. Still after listening to two speakers talk
from the Northumbria
Community, we were then asked
to consider our thoughts.
Well. I did and I pondered and considered with how the following three things can be positive and negative in terms of influencing who I am and how I act: Reviewing, Regretting and Rating. I thought that reviewing was looking back at what had happened, how I reacted, how I changed; Regretting wasn't only just thinking that I could have done that instead, or wouldn't it have been better to say that, but it was about what would have happened if I had chosen this rather than that. This was, no doubt influenced by the fact we were in Durham and surrounded by the University places. I was considering what might have been my life I had got a SRC research grant for particle physics at Durham. And my bugbear - Rating - always looking at someone else and thinking "if only I could be as * as they are" (insert whatever as the *). My ratings are always me being lower than someone else.
Of course, all of these are good in the proper balance. I need to review and assess my past actions, thoughts so that they might change my future actions and thoughts. I might compare myself to others as having aspirational challenges, but regrets probably is a good trigger word for the negative aspects of most of these. What is in the past is done and unchangeable, however, positively learning and changing from the past in the present is good. This led me to my fourth R - Realisation - being true, being content and knowing yourself - having a proper perspective. In this I can count on several benchmarks and people who will put me right.
Finally, some aphorisms that also came to mind that mean a lot and maybe more if I spend time pondering some more: Investment and Return - not in a financial sense; Joy in small things and Serendipity - which I've thought about previously and Capturing the moment - taking the opportunity presented.
PS We sat for a while in Durham Cathedral - great place - stunning building and so much peace.
Well. I did and I pondered and considered with how the following three things can be positive and negative in terms of influencing who I am and how I act: Reviewing, Regretting and Rating. I thought that reviewing was looking back at what had happened, how I reacted, how I changed; Regretting wasn't only just thinking that I could have done that instead, or wouldn't it have been better to say that, but it was about what would have happened if I had chosen this rather than that. This was, no doubt influenced by the fact we were in Durham and surrounded by the University places. I was considering what might have been my life I had got a SRC research grant for particle physics at Durham. And my bugbear - Rating - always looking at someone else and thinking "if only I could be as * as they are" (insert whatever as the *). My ratings are always me being lower than someone else.
Of course, all of these are good in the proper balance. I need to review and assess my past actions, thoughts so that they might change my future actions and thoughts. I might compare myself to others as having aspirational challenges, but regrets probably is a good trigger word for the negative aspects of most of these. What is in the past is done and unchangeable, however, positively learning and changing from the past in the present is good. This led me to my fourth R - Realisation - being true, being content and knowing yourself - having a proper perspective. In this I can count on several benchmarks and people who will put me right.
Finally, some aphorisms that also came to mind that mean a lot and maybe more if I spend time pondering some more: Investment and Return - not in a financial sense; Joy in small things and Serendipity - which I've thought about previously and Capturing the moment - taking the opportunity presented.
PS We sat for a while in Durham Cathedral - great place - stunning building and so much peace.
|
Tagged
09/01/07 09:44 Filed in: Personal
Stu tagged me, and so I
must respond. So here are 5 things you don't know
about me - confession is good for the soul.
1 I have still got a book from the school library -Watership Down. I took me several attempts to get past the beginning to read the whole book. I never got around to returning the book.
2 I have met Brian Aldiss and Harry Harrison. Science Fiction authors - if you didn't know.
3 I nearly got a job on CERN when I was in my final year (79-80). I was really interested in particle physics and did as many of those course as possible during my degree. Just considering how different things might have been for the rest of my life.
4 I did do 100mph on my motorbike (Kawasaki GT550) on the M58 - that was a while back.
5 During my school years, I worked at an angling store where I prepared maggots. They were dyed and it took a few days for the dye to wear off. Mainly orange!
1 I have still got a book from the school library -Watership Down. I took me several attempts to get past the beginning to read the whole book. I never got around to returning the book.
2 I have met Brian Aldiss and Harry Harrison. Science Fiction authors - if you didn't know.
3 I nearly got a job on CERN when I was in my final year (79-80). I was really interested in particle physics and did as many of those course as possible during my degree. Just considering how different things might have been for the rest of my life.
4 I did do 100mph on my motorbike (Kawasaki GT550) on the M58 - that was a while back.
5 During my school years, I worked at an angling store where I prepared maggots. They were dyed and it took a few days for the dye to wear off. Mainly orange!